The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-10-25
THE MAD ENGINEER.
And the Story of His Fearful Re-
venge.

nat IS a very SOOu StoTl DOl ,, anu
reminds me of something that hap
pened several years ago. when L was
firing for one of the best men that ever
pulled throttle" said veteran en-
gineer in a crowd of railroad employees.
"H thought it wouldn't tax the pa
thence of you too much L would tell
you about it-although." he said, after
a moments pause. al have never dared
speak of the accident. or incident,
since it happened. in 1868, L believe"
"Let'Shave it, Uncle Tommy" spoke
UP the crowd as one man. who well
knew Uncle Tommy's undoubted abil-
ity at storytelling when the subject in
yolved railroading.
ITO begin with" said he. after the
crowd had become quiet and assumed
listening attitude, sit is necessary to
tell you about my engineer, in order
that you may the better appreciate the
story. and be less bitter in your de-
nunciston of his conduct On the night
in question. for the story am going
to tell you happened at night
Ellis name was Wendsll-Earl Wen
dali. very pretty name you will say,
but it was very appropriate. for L will
60 on record as saying that he was the
handsomest man that old Tom ever
laid eyes On. When I say handsome,
why. that is what L mean exactly, for
he was really and truly handsome, and
what made him still more SO in my
eyes, he didn't know it. That is. you
wouldn't think he knew it from his
actions. He was just simply good,
handsome Earl Wendail of the So L
lad been firing for him about eighteen
months, and had come to love him as a
brother. This same Earl Wendau that
lam telling you about was in love. He
loved one girl, and the Lord only knows
how many girls all along the line were
head over heels in love with him. Dur
ing INV run with him never a day
passed that some shy maiden didn't
send him flowers, OF some little token
of friendship, as we were passing
through. Sometimes they would come
themselves, then again they would send
messenger. 1t was that way all along.
have seen Earl's box full of flowers.
He would accept them in every in
stance simply with bow and faint
smile, returning his thanks to the
sender, throw them into his box and
that was the last of them until they
withered; then he would raise the box
lid and cast them out, seemingly un-
conscious and little caring of the pang
that such action would cause in the
hearts of the fair donors had they
known the fate of their flowers.
Earl appreciated all this, am con.
fident, but as L nave said. he was in
love, not with the girls at every sta
ton, but with one girl. and he was de-
termined to keep his heart for her and
her only. How this action was appre
ciated by the favored one you viii
know after awhile.
s'About fifty miles from Providence
was the supper house for our train. |
was called the Bush supper house.
Bush was jolly old German, and wa
universally liked by the railroaders ant
travellers generally. Besides being pro
prietor of the Bush house he was tn,
father of as pretty girl as ever took
step. Her name was Bessie, and sh,
was Earl Wendall's idol. 1 can't be
gin TO describe her, but she was jus
the girl, | thought, for Earl Wendail
Earl thought the same way, and ha'
made her promise long ago to shar
his fortune with him. All the railroa,
men knew of Earl's and BcSsie's en-
gagement. and speculation was rife a
to when the wedding was going t
come Off
Occasionally Earl would come fror
the Bush house bringing his flowers